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Social Media Distractions and Both Parents Working Are Top Two Challenges to Healthy Parenting Reveals Survey on Incidence of Weary and Worn-Out Parents in America

(SAN JOSE, Calif. - June 26, 2018)

If you’re among the many millions of weary and worn-out parents in America, it’s important to limit your time on Facebook, reduce your workload, and stay away from problem people in your life.

Over 60 percent of 2,000 parents surveyed by PollFish and the Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network report they have experienced some form of parental burnout (PBO). Topping the list of healthy parenting challenges are social media distractions, both parents working, and emotional or behavioral dysfunction in the family.

Two of the top three contributors to PBO are job or career-related, notes the BPI Network, a global executive organization of enterprise change agents and innovators. Nearly 30 percent of respondents point to pressure or exhaustion from work or managing the home, and a similar number believe financial concerns, demands or limitations are primary PBO contributors.

A short report and infographic covering key findings of the Parental Burnout Barometer: The Incidence of Weary + Worn Out Parents in America can be sourced from the BPI Network web site at: www.bpinetwork.org/parental-burnout-report

“Parental burnout is a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion,” notes, Neil D. Brown LCSW, Author of Ending The Parent-Teen Control Battle. “It leaves parents feeling chronically fatigued often experiencing sleep and concentration problems—and it can lead to depression, chronic anxiety, and illness,” he adds, noting that this can “significantly impact work performance, productivity, business distraction and mindshare.”

A surprising 40 percent of survey respondents, drawn from a wide range of parents in working families across USA and Canada, stated PBO had significantly, or profoundly, impacted the quality of their life. Another 49 percent said it had slightly impacted their wellbeing.

“It is staggering to look at the incidence of PBO symptoms among working parents in America and understand the implications this has for added employee burden, cost, concern, and downtime,” notes Dave Murray, Chief Strategy and Research Officer at the BPI Network. “It is estimated by IBISWorld that over 50 million American workers are enrolled in corporate wellness programs costing some $8 billion annually. Given this new PBO data, you would expect counseling for healthy parenting should certainly be added to the list of worker benefits,” he adds.

When asked whether it was harder to raise children today than when they were growing up, nearly 90 percent of the parents polled agreed that it was. They listed the top five challenges to healthy parenting in our modern society as:

Social media distractions (29 percent)

Both parents working (27 percent)

Emotional or behavioral dysfunction (24 percent)

Peer expectations and competition, including bullying (21 percent)

Violence and safety concerns in schools (18 percent)

Over 40 percent of BPI Network/PollFish survey respondents said they were aware of other parents who experienced burnout. They listed the biggest, most direct contributors of PBO as:

Lack of cooperation from children or teenagers (33 percent)

Pressure or exhaustion from work or managing the home (29 percent)

Financial concerns, pressures or limitations (29 percent)

Too many digital device and social media distractions for kids and teens (26 percent)

Overloaded commitments and activities involving children (21 percent)

“More than anything, parent-child and parent-teen control battles have a dramatic impact on parental energy and emotional resources,” notes author and psychotherapist Neil D. Brown. “But with a few simple, critical changes, parents and kids are empowered to move forward without the chronic stress that disrupts employee and family dynamics,” he adds.

Brown provides four tips in his free Parental Burnout Recovery Guide that can be sourced here:

A few well-defined boundaries will elicit greater cooperation from children and teens: Set clear, appropriately high standards. Include them and teach them how to participate in household responsibilities, i.e., vacuuming, sweeping, food preparation and cleanup, etc.

Be clear that privileges (such as electronic devices, screen time, time with friends, allowance) only come with responsible, cooperative behavior. Don’t threaten, let them succeed or fail.

Use a positive tone when setting expectations and enforcing limits.

Know your child or teen’s personality and engage them accordingly. Some kids are highly sensitive while others more competitive. Some are intense while others are more easy-going. Know if your child or teen needs things written down or specific times and a sequence for doing things.

Establish clear limits and standards for use of devices in the home.

Get more adult fun time. Take back a past pleasure or start a new one such as art, music, dance, or an athletic activity.

Neil Brown Bio

Neil D. Brown LCSW is a psychotherapist, author, speaker and management consultant based in Santa Cruz, California. A graduate of the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, Brown became a student of Structural Family Therapy and Brief Therapy from which he evolved his own highly actionable therapeutic model for helping families transform out of unhealthy family patterns. He hosts the Healthy Family Connections Podcast and is author of Ending the Parent-Teen Control Battle.

About the BPI Network

The Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network brings together global executives who are champions of change within their organizations through ongoing research, authoritative content and peer-to-peer conversations. These functional area heads (operations, IT, finance, HR, procurement, sales, marketing, product development, etc.) and line-of-business leaders are advocates for innovation as a fundamental discipline and function within 21st Century organizations. They seek to demonstrate where and how new inventive solutions and approaches can advance business value, gratify customers, ensure sustainability and create competitive advantage for companies worldwide. For more information, visit www.bpinetwork.org.